Container closure comprising a stationary apertured cap and a rotary apertured cap



July 12, 1966 R. A. AYoTTE CONTAINER CLOSURE COMPRISING A STATIONARYAPERTURED CAP AND A ROTARY APERTURED CAP Filed OCT.. 13, 1964 Fig.

Fig. 3

INVENTOR Robert A. Ayolfe ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,260,426CONTAHNER CLSURE QOMPRISING A STATION- ARY APERTURED CAP AND A ROTARYAPER- TURED @AP Robert A. Ayotte, Mays Landing, NJ., assignor to WheatonPlastics Company, Mays Landing, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey FiledOct. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 403,476 14 Claims. (Cl. 222-545) This inventionrelates to dispensing containers and closures therefor, and moreparticularly to an improved dispensing closure formed of plasticmaterial, and to the combination of such improved closure with acontainer.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved two-partdispensing closure assembly, including a fixed part and a movable part,constructed so as to reduce to a minimum any leakage or powder siftingbetween the two closure parts.

It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing closureassembly having a more perfect seal between the parts of the closureassembly than in devices of the prior art.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispensing closurefor a shaker-type dispensing container, such as a powder shaker or thelike, in which the closure includes relatively movable parts which maybe preassembled prior to being aiiixed to the container.

It is another object of the invention to provide a closure which isadapted to be frictionally secured to a container, but which may beremoved Ifrom the container by the applic-ation of a moderate amount offorce to thereby permit refilling of the container if desired.

It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing closurecap assembly for use with dispensing containers such as powder shakersor the like, in which the closure 4assembly includes relativelyrotatable parts having a minimum of leakage or sifting therebetween.

In achievement of these objectives, there is provided in accordance withthis invention a dispensing closure cap `assembly adapted to be mountedon the neck portion of a container, and including an inner cap memberpreferably formed of a relatively rigid plastic material such as highimpact polystyrene, which is adapted to frictionally engage the neck ofthe container and to normally remain fixed in position on the container.

An outer cap member also formed of a plastic material, but of a materialsuch as polypropylene more flexible .than the material of the inner cap,and having a good memory for returning to its original shape, ispositioned over the inner cap. The inner land outer caps are providedwith -a cooperating annular bead and an annular groove by means of whichthe inner and outer caps are snapped into engagement with each other tomaintain the two caps in permanently :assembled relation with eachother. The inner and outer caps are so proportioned relative to eachother that the annular bead of the inner cap member slightly distorts orexes the outer cap member, so that the flexibility and elastic memorycharacteristics of the outer member provides -a restoring force whichpushes the inner member upwardly into good sealing engagement with theinner surface of the outer cap member. The inner and outer caps orclosures are provided with holes which may be moved into registry witheach other when the outer cap is rotated relative to the.

fixed inner cap.

The ou-ter cap is also provided with several downwardly depending stubsor lugs which are received in arcuate countersunk recesses in the uppersurface of the inner cap whereby the end surfaces of the arcuaterecesses define abutments which limit the degree of rotation of theouter cap in moving from closed to open position or vice-versa.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l is a perspective View of a container having the closure capassembly of the invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section of the assembled inner and outercaps of the closure assembly;

FIG. 3 is a View in horizontal section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the outerclosure cap of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the inner cap ofthe closure assembly;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section of the outer cap of the closure capassembly;

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical sec-tion of the inner cap of the closurecap assembly; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view, partially broken away, showing theinterlocking engagement of the inner and outer closure caps.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a container generallyindicated at 10, having an upstanding reduced diameter neck portion onwhich is mounted the closure cap assembly generally indicated indicatedat 12. The material of which container 10 or the neck portion thereof ismade is not critical and may be a plastic material such as polystyrene,as well as other materials such as metal or glass. Closure cap assembly12 includes an inner cap `member generally indicated at 14 preferablymolded of a relatively rigid plastic material, such as high impactpolystyrene, and an outer cap member generally indicated at 16,preferably molded of a plastic material having more flexibility than thematerial of whichinner cap 14 is formed. Outer cap 16 is preferably madeof polypropylene or other similar plastic material having goodtiexibility and having a good elastic memory for returning :to itsoriginal shape when exed or distorted. Outer cap 16 could be molded ofhigh density polyethylene which does not have quite as good an elasticmemory as polypropylene. Outer cap 16 may also be made of a suitableelastomeric material having the properties of exibili-ty and good memoryjust described.

Inner cap 14 is shaped substantially in the form of an inverted cap,including a generally cylindrical wall 18 integrally molded to a topwall 20. The inner diameter of cylindrical wall 18 is such as to providegood frictional tit between inner cap 14 and the neck of container 10.Top wall 20 of inner cap 14 has a plurality of circularly 'arrangedshaker holes 22 passing therethrough. The upper surface of wall 20 ismolded with a separate circular bead 24 surrounding each of the holes22. The circular beads 24 provide .a reduced area bearing surfacebetween inner cap 14 and outer cap 16 which maximizes the frictionalsealing contact between inner cap 14 and outer cap 16.

The reduced area sealing contact provided by the frictional engagementof rings 24 with the under surface of outer closure 16 provides a betterapplication of the sealing force provided by the restoring force offlexible outer cap 16.

The upper surface of wall `2() is also provided with a plurality ofarcuate recesses or countersunk surfaces indicated at 26 which cooperatewith depending lugs 40 on outer cap 16 to limit the rotation of theouter cap in moving from dispensing to non-dispensing position and viceversa.

The outer surface of the upper end of inner cap 14 is provided with aradially extending peripheral bead 30 which is received in a groove 43provided at the upper end of the inner wall surface of the outer closuremember 16.

Outer closure member 16 is molded substantially in the form of aninverted cup, and includes a generally cylindrical Iwall 34 and a flattop wall 36. Top wall 36 is provided with a plurality of dispensingholes or passages y38 therethrough lying at the same radial distancefrom the center of the cap as the radial distance of passages 22 fromthe center of inner cap 14 so that the holes 38 may be moved into or outof registry with the dispensing holes 22 of the inner cap. Outer cap 16also includes a pair of downwardly depending lugs 40 which extenddownwardly into two of the countersunk arcuate recesses 26 of inner cap14. While four countersunk recesses 26 are provided in the upper surfaceof wall 20, lugs 40 engage only two of the recesses 26. The mainfunction of the other two recesses 26 is to facilitate the initialengagement of the two lugs 40 with a pair of recesses, since, in a massproduction assembly operation, the provision of extra or spare recesses26 provides a small time saving in the manipulation required to locate apair of lugs in a pair of recesses.

Outer cap 16 also includes a bead 42 -which projects radially inwardly ashort distance from the inner surface of cylindrical Wall 34 adjacentthe upper end thereof. The upper surface of bead 42 and the undersurface of the facing top wall 36 of outer cap 16 define a groove 43which `receives the annular bead 30 at the upper end of inner cap `14.

The outer surface of cylindrical wall 34 lof outer cap 16 is providedwith serrations 44 to provide a good frictional surface for gripping theouter cap when rotating the cap.

The inner and outer caps 14 Iand 16 are assembled relative to each otherby inserting the inner cap into the outer cap, forcing the annularflange or bead 30 of the inner cap past the inner bead 42 of the outercap and into groove 43 to thereby lock the two caps against axialmovement relative to each other. The depending lugs of outer cap 16 arereceived in a pair of the arcuate countersunk recesses 26 of the innercap. The cap assembly may then be engaged with the neck portion of thecontainer by pushing the inner cap 14 of the assembly into frictionalengagement with the neck of container 10.

The inner and outer caps are so dimensioned relative to each other thatwhen inner cap 14 is engaged with outer cap 16 as just described, withbead 30 of the inner cap received in groove 43 of the outer c-ap, theflexible outer cap is slightly fiexed or distorted in the region of-bead 42 and groove 43 by the presence of inner cap 14. This flexing ofouter cap 16 causes the outer cap to push inwardly and upwardly to causea resultant force which constantly urges inner cap 14 and the sealingrings 24 thereof into tight sealing engagement with the under surface ofwall 36 of outer closure cap 16.

When it is desired to dispense the contents of a container 10, the outercap 16 is rotated to a position in which the dispensing holes orpassages 38 in the outer cap are in registry with the dispensing holes22 of the inner cap, this position being indicated by the abutment ofthe depending lugs or stubs 40 with one end of the countersunk recesses26 of the inner cap. The outer cap may be moved from the dispensingposition to a nondispening position by moving the cap in the oppositedirection to a limiting position defined by the engagement of thedepending lugs or stubs 40 with the opposite end Walls of the recesses26.

While the degree of frictional engagement between the inner cap 14 andthe neck of the plastic container 10 is sufiicient to maintain the capassembly 12 securely in position on the container at all times, the capassembly may be removed by the consumer if desired for refillingcontainer by exerting a moderate amount of force to remove the capassembly from the neck of the container.V

The closure hereinbefore described has the advantage that the improvedseal between the inner and outer closure caps reduces to a minimum anyleakage or sifting of CTI 4l the contents of the container, therestoring force of outer cap 16 constantly biasing the sealing rings 24of the inner cap 14 into tight sealing engagement with the under surfaceof top wall wall 36 of outer cap 16. Also, the snap engagement betweenthe inner and outer caps permits these two cap members to bepreassembled as a unit and shipped in bulk to the location where thecaps are to be assembled onto the containers. The preassembly of theinner and outer caps eliminates one assembly-line operation at thelocation where the closure assembly is assembled onto the container.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of theinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from theinvention and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changes andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A dispensing closure assembly for a container comprising an inner capmember having a first body portion engageable with the open end of acontainer, a first end wall integral with said first body portion at anaxial end of said first body portion, said first end wall includingdispensing openings therein, an outer cap member adapted to receive saidinner cap member and having a second body portion integral with a secondend wall at an axial end of said second body portion, said second endwall having dispensing openings therein movable into registry with saiddispensing openings of said rst end wall by movement of said outer capmember relative to said inner cap member, one of said cap members havinga peripheral bead integral with its respective body portion adjacent theend wall thereof, the other of said cap members having groove means onthe body portion thereof adjacent the end wall thereof adapted toreceive said peripheral bead of said one cap member, whereby tointerlockingly engage said cap members with each other, one of said capmembers being formed of a flexible material having a good elasticmemory, said outer and inner cap members being so proportioned that saidcap member formed of fiexible material is flexed by the presence of theother cap member in interlocked engagement therewith, whereby said capmember of fiexible material exerts a force urging said first and secondend walls in sealing relation to each other.

2. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 1 in which saidfirst body portion is dimensioned to frictionally engage the open end ofa container.

3. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 1 in which saidouter cap member is molded of polypropylerie.

4. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 1 `in which saidinner cap member is molded of polystyrene.

5. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 1 in which each ofsaid cap members carries a stop means cooperating with a stop means onthe other cap member to limit the relative movement of said cap membersin an opening and in a closing direction.

6. A dispensing closure assembly for a container comprising an inner capmember having a first cylindrical body portion engageable with the neckof a container, a first end wall integral with said first body portionat an axial end of said first =body portion, said first end wallincluding dispensing openings therein, an outer cap member adapted toreceive said inner cap member and having a second cylindrical bodyportion integral with a second end wall at an axial end of said secondbody portion, said second end wall having dispensing openings thereinmovable into registry with Said dispensing openings of said first endwall by rotary movement of said outer cap member relative to said innercap member, one of said cap members having a radially extendingperipheral bead integral with its respective body portion adjacent theend wall thereof, the other of said cap members having groove means onthe body portion thereof adjacent the end wall thereof adapted toreceive said radially extending peripheral bead of said one cap member,whereby to interlockingly engage said cap members with each other, oneof said cap members being formed of a flexible material having a goodelastic memory, said outer and inner cap members being so proportionedthat said cap member of flexible material is flexed by the presence ofthe other cap member in interlocked engagement therewith, whereby saidcap member of flexible material exerts a force urging said first andsecond end walls in sealing relation to each other.

7. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 6 in which saidfirst cylindrical body portion is dimensioned to frictionally engage theneck of a container.

8. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 6 in which saidouter cap member is molded of polypropylene.

9. A dispensing closure assembly Ias defined in claim 6 in which saidinner cap member is molded of polystyrene.

10. A dispensing closure assembly as defined in claim 6 in which each ofsaid cap members carries a stop means cooperating with Ia stop means onthe other cap member to limit the relative movement of said cap membersin an opening and in a closing direction.

11. A dispensing closure assembly for a container comprising an innercap member having a first cylindrical body portion engageable with theneck of a container, a first end wall integral with said first bodyportion at an axial end of said first body portion, said first end wallincluding dispensing openings therein, a radially extending peripheralbead integral with said first body portion adjacent said end Wall, anouter cap member adapted to receive said inner cap member and having asecond cylindrical body portion integral with a second end wall at anaxial end of said second body portion, said second end wall havingdispensing openings therein movable into registry with said dispensingopenings of said first end wall by rotary movement of said outer capmember relative to said inner cap member, said outer cap member havinggroove means on the inner surface of said second cylindrical bodyportion to receive said radially extending peripheral bead of said innercap member, whereby to interlockingly engage said cap members with eachother one of said cap members being formed of a flexible material havingya good elastic memory, sa-id outer and inner cap members being soproportioned that said cap member of flexible material is flexed by thepresence of said other cap member in interlocked eng-agement therewith,whereby said cap member of flexible material exerts a force urging saidfirst and second end walls in sealing relation to each other.

12. A dispensing closure assembly for a container comprising an innercap member having a first cylindrical body portion engageable with theneck of a container, a first end wall integral with said first bodyportion at an axial end of said first body portion, said first end wallincluding dispensing openings therein, an outer cap inember adapted toreceive said inner cap member and having a second cylindrical bodyportion integral with a second end wall at an axial end of said secondbody portion, said second end wall having dispensing openings thereinmovable into registry with said dispensing openings of said first endwall by rotary movement of said outer cap member relative to said innercap member, the end wall of one of said cap members being provided witha recess means and the end wall of the other of said cap memibers beingprovided with lug means engageable with said recess means to limit therelative rotary movement of said cap members -in an opening and in aclosing direction, one of said cap members having a radially extendingperipheral bead integral with its respective body portion adjacent theend wall thereof, the other of said cap members having groove means onthe body portion thereof adjacent the end wall thereof adapted toreceive said radially extending peripheral bead of said one cap member,whereby to interlockingly engage said cap members with each other, oneof said cap members being formed of a flexible material having `a lgoodelastic memory, said outer and inner cap members being so proportionedthat said cap member formed of flexible material is flexed by thepresence of said other cap member in interlocked engagement therewith,whereby said cap member formed of flexible material exerts a forceurging said first and second end Walls in sealing relation to eachother.

13. A dispensing closure assembly for a container comprising an innercap member having a first cylindrical body portion engageable with theneck of a container, a first end wall integral with said first bodyportion at an axial end of said first body portion, said first end wallincluding dispensing openings therein, a radially extending peripheralbead integral with said first body portion adjacent said end wall, anouter cap member adaptedto receive said inner cap member and having asecond cylindrical body portion integral with a second end wall at anaxial end of said second body portion, said second end wall havingdispensing openings therein movable into registry with said dispensingopenings of said first end wall by rotary movement of said outer capmember relative to said inner cap member, said inner cap member havingthe outwardly directed surface of the end wall thereof provided withcountersunk recess means, said outer cap member having the inwardlydirected surface of the end wall thereof provided with lug meansengageable with said countersunk recess means to limit the relativerotary movement of said cap members in an opening and in a closingdirection, said outer cap member having groove means on the innersurface of said second cylindrical body portion adjacent the end wallthereof to receive said radially extending peripheral bead of said innercap member, whereby to interlockingly engage said cap members with eachother, said outer cap member being formed of a flexible material havinga good elastic memory, said outer and inner cap members being soproportioned that said outer cap member is flexed by the presence ofsaid inner cap member in interlocked engagement therewith, whereby saidouter cap member exerts a force urging said rst end wall in sealingrelation toward said second end wall, the end walls of said inner andouter cap members being provided with a plurality of reduced areabearing surfaces therebetween whereby to concentrate the sealing forcebetween said inner and outer cap members at said reduced area bearingsurfaces, said reduced area bearing surfaces extending respectively as abead means around the respective dispensing holes of one of said capmembers.

14. A dispensing closure assembly for a container comprising an innercap member having a first body portion engageable with the open end of acontainer, a first end wall integral with said first body portion at anaxial end of said first body portion, said first end wall includingdispensing openings therein, an outer cap member adapted to receive saidinner cap member and having a second body portion integral With `asecond end wall at an axial end of said second body portion, said secondend wall having dispensing openings therein movable into registry withsaid dispensing openings of said first end wall by movement of saidouter cap member relative to said inner cap member, the end wall of oneof said cap members being provided with a recess means and the end wallof the other of said cap members being provided with lug meansengageable with said recess means to limit the relative rotary movementof said cap members in an opening and in a closing direction, one ofsaid cap members having a peripheral bead integral with its respectivebody portion adjacent the end wall thereof, the other of said capmembers having groove means on the body portion thereof adjacent the endwall thereof adapted to receive said peripheral bead of said one capmember, whereby to interlockingly engage said cap members with eachother, one of said cap members being formed of a flexible materialhaving a good elastic memory, said outer and inner cap members being soproportioned that said cap member formed of flexible material is exed bythe presence of the other cap member in interlocked engagementtherewith, whereby said cap member formed of flexible material exerts aforce urging said end walls in sealing relation with each other, the endwalls of said inner and outer cap members being provided with aplurality of reduced area bearing surfaces therebetween whereby toconcentrate the sealing force between said inner and outer cap membersat said reduced area bearing surfaces, said reduced area bearingsurfaces extending respectively as a bead means around the respectivedispensing holes of one of said cap members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,064,308 12/1936Hopkins 222-248 X 2,159,714 5/1939 Serog 222-248 X 2,206,209 7/1940Thorn 222-248 2,780,395 2/1957 Schlabach et al. 222-248 X 2,969,1671/1961 Libit 222-248 X 3,104,039 9/1963 Dike 222-248 X 3,125,260 3/1964Dreps 222-548 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner'.

WALTER SOBIN, Examiner.

1. A DISPENSING CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR A CONTAINER COMPRISING AN INNER CAPMEMBER HAVING A FIRST BODY PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OPEN END OF ACONTAINER, A FIRST END WALL INTEGRAL WITH SAID FIRST BODY PORTION AT ANAXIAL END OF SAID FIRST BODY PORTION, SAID FIRST END WALL INCLUDINGDISPENSING OPENINGS THEREIN, AN OUTER CAP MEMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAIDINNER CAP MEMBER AND HAVING A SECOND BODY PORTION INTEGRAL WITH A SECONDEND WALL AT AN AXIAL END OF SAID SECOND BODY PORTION, SAID SECOND ENDWALL HAVING DISPENSING OPENINGS THEREIN MOVABLE INTO REGISTRY WITH SAIDDISPENSING OPENINGS OF SAID FIRST END WALL BY MOVEMENT OF SAID OUTER CAPMEMBERS HAVING SAID INNER CAP MEMBER, ONE OF SAID CAP MEMBERS HAVING APERIPHERAL BEAD INTEGRAL WITH ITS RESPECTIVE BODY PORTION ADJACENT THEEND WALL THEREOF, THE OTHER OF SAID CAP MEMBERS HAVING GROOVE MEANS ONTHE BODY PORTION THEREOF ADJACENT THE END WALL THEREOF ADAPTED TORECEIVE SAID PERIPHERAL BEAD OF SAID ONE CAP MEMBER, WHEREBY TOINTERLOCKINGLY ENGAGE SAID CAP MEMBERS WITH EACH OTHER, ONE OF SAID CAPMEMBERS BEING FORMED OF A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A GOOD ELASTICMEMORY, SAID OUTER AND INNER CAP MEMBERS BEING SO PROPORTIONED THAT SAIDCAP MEMBER FORMED OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IS FLEXED BY THE PRESENCE OF THEOTHER CAP MEMBER IN INTERLOCKED ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, WHEREBY SAID CAPMEMBER OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL EXERTS A FORCE URGING SAID FIRST AND SECONDEND WALLS IN SEALING RELATION TO EACH OTHER.